BYU's Jones denies bias

PROVO — Stung by what he said are false accusations of anti-Semitism, Brigham Young University physics professor Steven Jones said Wednesday he has decided to stop talking about who might have been behind what he has alleged was government involvement in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

"That's what I've resolved for the future, even when pushed," Jones told the Deseret Morning News. "I'll stick with the science, thank you."

Jones began last year to research the physics behind the way the World Trade Center towers fell. Disturbed by the remarkable speed with which they fell and emboldened by his own experiments on ground zero materials, he developed a hypothesis that the collapse of the towers was aided by pre-positioned demolition charges. He later began to say the charges must have been set by a group inside the U.S. government.

BYU placed Jones on paid leave last week, in part for what it called "the increasingly speculative and accusatory nature of these statements by Dr. Jones."

The action came two days after Jones appeared on KUER-FM 90.1's respected news talk show "Radio West." On the show, he said it appeared responsibility for the attacks rested with Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle and an "international banking cartel."

The statement drew immediate response from Jews who said they were offended because references to international banking have for decades been used by anti-Semitic groups as codespeak to blame Jews for various problems. Hitler often blamed "international financiers" for Germany's debt after World War I.

A spokesman for the Anti-Defamation League said he will recommend in a committee meeting tomorrow that the ADL send a letter to BYU complaining about the comments and expressing concern that such comments might be made by Jones in his classes. BYU relieved Jones of his teaching load this semester while it conducts a formal review of his research and statements.

"Wow, I don't know if he could be any clearer," said Jonathan Bernstein, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League for California, Utah and Hawaii. "This is the language we hear from David Duke and other hatemongers who want to scapegoat Jews."

Jones was flummoxed by the accusation, saying he was "startled" when told the phrase carried anti-Semitic overtones. He wasn't sure where he got the phrase because he was referring to the work of Webster Tarpley, a historian and member of the Scholars for 9/11 Truth, a group co-founded by Jones. Tarpley refers only to a shadowy, rogue network, not to international bankers.